osc.am2.redprophet-第4节
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Somebody knocked on the door。 〃e in；〃 said Harrison。 At the same time he waved Hooch to stay in his chair。 A soldier stepped in； saluted； and said； 〃Mr。 Andrew Jackson here to see you； sir。 From the Tennizy country； he says。〃
〃Days before I looked for him；〃 said Harrison。 〃But I'm delighted； couldn't be more pleased； show him in； show him in。〃
Andrew Jackson。 Had to be that lawyer fellow they called Mr。 Hickory。 Back in the days when Hooch was working the Tennizy country； Hickory Jackson was a real country boy killed a man in a duel； put his fists into a few faces now and then； had a name for keeping his word； and the story was that he wasn't exactly pletely married to his wife； who might well have another husband in her past who wasn't even dead。 That was the difference between Hickory and Hooch Hooch would've made sure the husband was dead and buried long since。 So Hooch was a little surprised that this Jackson was big enough now to have business that would take him clear from Tennizy up to Carthage City。
But that was nothing to his surprise when Jackson stepped through the door； ramrod straight with eyes like fire。 He strode across the room and offered his hand to Governor Harrison。 Called him Mr。 Harrison； though。 Which meant he was either a fool； or he didn't figure he needed Harrison as much as Harrison needed him。
〃You got too many Reds around here；〃 said Jackson。 〃That one…eyed drunk by the door is enough to make a body puke。〃
〃Well；〃 said Harrison； 〃I think of him as kind of a pet。 My own pet Red。〃
〃Lolla…Wossiky；〃 said Hooch helpfully。 Well； not really helpfully。 He just didn't like how Jackson hadn't noticed him； and Harrison hadn't bothered to introduce him。 Jackson turned to look at him。 〃What did you say？〃
〃Loila…Wossiky；〃 said Hooch。
〃The one…eyed Red's name；〃 said Harrison。
Jackson eyed Hooch coldly。 〃The only time I need to know the name of a horse；〃 he said； 〃is when I plan to ride it。〃
〃My name's Hooch Palmer；〃 said Hooch。 He offered his hand。
Jackson didn't take it。 〃Your name is Ulysses Brock；〃 said Jackson； 〃and you owe more than ten pounds in unpaid debts back in Nashville。 Now that Appalachee has adopted U。S。 currency； that means you owe two hundred and twenty dollars in gold。 I bought those debts and it happens that I have the papers with me； since I heard you were trading whisky up in these parts； and so I think I'll place you under arrest。 〃
It never occurred to Hooch that Jackson would have that kind of memory； or be such a skunk as to buy a man's paper； especially seven…year…old paper； which by now should be pretty much forgot。 But sure enough； Jackson took a warrant out of his coat pocket and laid it on Governor Harrison's desk。
〃Since I appreciate your already having this man in custody when I arrived；〃 said Jackson； 〃I am glad to tell you that under Appalachee law the apprehending officer is entitled to ten percent of the funds collected。 〃
Harrison leaned back in his chair and grinned at Hooch。 〃Well； Hooch； maybe you better set down and let's all get better acquainted。 Or I guess maybe we don't have to； since Mr。 Jackson here seems to know you better than I did。 〃
〃Oh； I know Ulysses Brock all right；〃 said Jackson。 〃He's just the sort of skunk we had to get rid of in Tennizy before we could lay claim to being civilized。 And I expect you'll be rid of his sort soon enough here； too； as you get the Wobbish country ready to apply for admission to the United States。〃
〃You take a lot for granted；〃 said Harrison。 〃We might try to go it alone out here； you know。〃
〃If Appalachee couldn't make a go of it alone； with Tom Jefferson as President； you won't do any better here； I reckon。〃
〃Well maybe；〃 said Harrison； 〃just maybe we've got to do something that Tom Jefferson didn't have the guts to do。 And maybe we've got a need for men like Hooch here。〃
〃What you have need for is soldiers；〃 said Jackson。 〃Not rummers。〃
Harrison shook his head。 〃You're a man who forces me to e to the point； Mr。 Jackson； and I can calculate right enough why the folks in Tennizy sent you on up here to meet with me。 So I'll e to the point。 We've got the same trouble up here that you've got down there； and that trouble can be summed up in one word： Reds。〃
〃Which is why I'm perplexed that you let drunken Reds sit around here in your own headquarters。 They all belong west of the Mizzipy； and that's as plain as day。 We won't have peace and we won't have civilization until that's done。 And since Appalachee and the U。S。 alike are convinced that Reds can be treated like human beings； we've got to solve our Red problem before we join the Union。 It's as simple as that。〃
〃Well； you see？〃 said Harrison。 〃We already agree pletely。〃
〃Then why is it that you keep your headquarters as full of Reds as Independence Street in Washington City？ They have Cherriky men acting as clerks and even holding government offices in Appalachee； right in the capital； jobs that White men ought to have； and then I e here and find you keep Reds around you； too。〃
〃Cool down； Mr。 Jackson； cool right down。 Don't the King keep his Blacks there in his palace in Virginia？〃
〃His Blacks are slaves。 Everybody knows you can't make slaves out of Reds。 They aren't intelligent enough to be properly trained。〃
〃Well； you just set yourself there in that chair； Mr。 Jackson； and I'll make my point the best way I know how； by showing you two prime Shaw…Nee specimens。 Just set down。〃
Jackson picked up the chair and moved it to the opposite side of the room from Hooch。 It made something gnaw in Hooch's gut； the way Jackson acted。 Men like Jackson were so upright and honest…seeming； but Hooch knew that there wasn't no such thing as a good man； just a man who wasn't bought yet； or wasn't in deep enough trouble； or didri't have the guts to reach out and take what he wanted。 That's all that virtue ever boiled down to； so far as Hooch ever saw in his life。 But here was Jackson； putting on airs and calling for Bill Harrison to arrest him！ Think of that； a stranger from Tennizy country ing up here and waving around a warrant from an Appalachee judge； of all things； which didn't have no more force； in Wobbish country than if it was written by the King of Ethiopia。 Well； Mr。 Jackson； it's a long way home from here； and we'll just see if you don't have some kind of accident along the way。
No； no； no； Hooch told himself silently。 Getting even don't amount to nothing in this world。 Getting even only gets you behind。 The best revenge is to get rich enough to make them all call you sir； that's how you get even with these boys。 No bushwhacking。 If you ever get a name for bushwhacking； that's the end of you； Hooch Palmer。
So Hooch sat there and smiled； as Harrison called for his aide。 〃Why don't you invite Lolla…Wossiky in here？ And while you're at it； tell his brother he can e in； too。〃
Lolla…Wossiky's brother had to be the defiant Red who was standing up against the wall。 Funny； how two peas from the same pod could grow up so different。
Lolla…Wossiky came in fawning； smiling； looking quickly from one White face to the next； wondering what they wanted； how he could make them happy enough to reward him with whisky。 It was written all over him； how thirsty he was； even though he was already so drunk he didn't walk straight。 Or had he already drunk so much likker that he couldn't walk straight even when he was sober？ Hooch wondered but soon enough he knew the answer。 Harrison reached into the bureau behind him and took out a jug and a cup。 Lolla…Wossiky watched the brown liquid splash into the cup； his one eye so intense it was like he could taste the likker by vision alone。 But he didn't take even a single step toward the cup。 Harrison reached out and set the cup on the table near the Red； but still the man stood there； smiling； looking now at the cup； now at Harrison； waiting； waiting。
Harrison turned to Jackson and smiled。 〃Lolla…Wossiky is just about the most civilized Red in the whole Wobbish country； Mr。 Jackson。 He never takes things that don't belong to him。 He never speaks except when spoken to。 He obeys and does whatever I tell him。 And all he ever asks in return is just a cup of liquid。 Doesn't even have to be good likker。 Corn whisky or bad Spanish rum are just fine with him； isn't that right； Lolla…Wossiky？〃
〃Very so right； Mr。 Excellency；〃 said Lolla…Wossiky。 His speech was surprisingly clear； for a Red。 Especially a drunken Red。
Hooch saw Jackson study the one…eyed Red with disgust。 Then the Tennizy lawyer's gaze shifted to the door； where the tall； strong； defiant Red was standing。 Hooch enjoyed watching Jackson's face。 From disgust； his expression plainly changed to anger。 Anger and； yes； fear。 Oh； yes； you aren't fearless； Mr。 Jackson。 You know what Lolla…Wossiky's brother is。 He's your enemy； and my enemy； the enemy of every White man who ever wants to have this land； because sometime this uppity Red is going to put his tommy…hawk in your head and peel off your scalp real slow； and he won't sell it to no Frenchman； neither； Mr。 Jackson； he'll keep it and give it to his children； and say to them； 〃This is the only good Wh
